Reckoning
by Umpy
Summary: Set after 'Changes'. Harry wakes up after the events in Changes to find that he's been gone a lot longer than he thought. Everyone thinks he's dead and something dark has happened across the world. He now has his chance to strike back at the Black Council
1. Chapter 1

**A/N -** SPOILER* Don't read this story until you've read Changes. The latest book in the series. A truly awesome read and you wont understand anything in this story if you havnt read up to that. Remember. This is the Book-verse- and not that horrid crap of a TV-show.

* * *

**Chapter 1**

I sat at a table in McAnally's enjoying a nice steak sandwich and the God of beer's when the shadow fell over me. I looked up and saw a pretty face. Hell. More than pretty. My eyes betrayed me and I have her a once over then a second over.

"Harry Dresden?" she asked me. A sweet feminine voice to go with the soft brown hair.

I finished my bite, it would never do for first impressions for me to talk with my mouth full. "Who's asking?" I swallowed the last bite with a sip of beer.

She flashed a smile and sat across from me without asking. The nerve. Maybe I'd get lucky. I knew her from somewhere I though. I just couldn't put my finger on it. She held out a hand. Nails were clipped short with the lightest of pink nail polish.

"Susan Rodriguez, of The Arcane. Mind if I ask you a few questions?"

I eyed her warily, but didn't take the hand. All sort of nasty things could be done my touching something. Physical contact would let foreign magic through any natural defenses I had. Plus she was a reporter. Nasty things.

"The Arcane huh? What's up?" Odd. No witty remark from me? I wasn't myself.

She smirked and took back her hand. I knew her from someplace. I knew I did. I felt a strong connection, a pull so violent that I had to physically stop myself from leaping over the table and kissing her.

"Just a few questions, Mr. Dresden. Are you really a wizard?"

I sighed. Always the same question. No one could just accept and let it go. I nodded. "Yup. Wyatt Earp of the supernatural at your service."

She tilted her head and looked me over. "Then why are you lying dead at the bottom of a lake?"

Huh? The world melted to white and a rushing sound like a train next to my head filled my ears. I thought my tiny brain would explode when the ride screeched to a stop. I was in a mansion. A long flight of stairs arched to a balcony and Bianca stood over me. Standing beside her, broken and bleeding, was Susan. My lover.

" Harry," she asked me, "Why are you trying to save me?"

My breath caught and my heart almost broke. "Because I love you."

She tilted her head in that charming way I knew so well. "But you killed me, Harry. Why save me to kill me?"

I shook my head. My mouth had gone dry and felt like watered down cotton. "I didn't. I didn't mean…"

"DON'T LIE TO ME!" She screamed and her skin, so perfectly natural, seemed to give a heave and shred apart like Bruce Banner's cloths in the old Hulk series. Just before the white train took off I caught a glimpse of a little girl emerging from the transformed Susan, her eyes glaring at me with accusation.

This time the rushing came with a tumbling feeling. Like an endless uncontrolled falling. It felt like I was being turned and twisted and then suddenly I was rising. The white so thick that I could kick against it and I swam up and up and up and up. It felt like I was at it for hours until the surface of the white train broke and I found myself on a rocky beach. I trudged out of the vaporous mists and looked behind me. It looked like a rolling sea of clouds. Flickers of silver and gold fires wisped up and through the bank. Winking and dancing.

"Took you long enough." I turned and a man was sitting on a large rock, whittling away at a piece of wood. He was wearing some worn jeans with a few patches in them, Some red suspenders with one of them broken and hanging down to the ground. His white shirt was smeared with soot and a hole was torn in the shoulder.

I walked over to him and took a seat in the sand. "You're looking pretty rough there. Boss having you wage another war with the players down in hell?"

Uriel snorted. Really unbecoming of an arch-angel and all that, but it made it easier to relat to him if he seemed more human.

"That rabble? Nah, that game is far from starting. This is just me doing some dirty work to keep the fence from coming down."

"Dirty work? Fence? You know I hate that cryptic stuff." I looked around. "What is this place anyways?" I spied a fallen down lighthouse in the distance. "Demonreach? What am I doing here?"

"You're not there. This is In-between. Although why you ever decided to entangle yourself with that island is beyond even me. That really threw everyone for a loop. Changed the game up,"

"Well, sorry, but I don't know the rules. When the rules don't let me win I cheat and make up my own. Only fair." I took a closer look at his carving. Hey it was me, only half done. I looked better though.

Uriel smiled and gave a nod. "It was an option we had not considered or taken into account. That means the enemy hadn't thought about it either. It's a good thing for you, but it makes the waters a bit more dangerous."

"How so?"

"That's a discussion for another time. You're not ready for that yet. What more important right now is why you're here."

I blinked and scowled. "Yeah. Why am I here?"

Uriel considered the question and spoke bluntly. "Because you're dead."

Huh? That couldn't be right. Applying my considerable intellect and deductive reasoning I responded. "What?"

He cackled. The divine-superuber- -angel actually cackled at me.

"You're dead. Or well as close to it as you can get. And THAT has given everyone what they wanted."

My thoughts got all tumbled together and I felt like my training wheels had just broken and I tipped over. "You wanted me dead?"

"Heaven's no. We've invested too much in you to want you dead, but being dead at the right time removed your stubbornness as an obstacle and opened up a path we felt could be utilized."

"I, umm…don't get it." I ran a hand through my hair and stilled my foot from tapping a hole to China.

"Hey. Look at it this way. How many cheesy stories have you seen where you think the bad guy is dead, only he comes back in the end and surprised everyone and foils everything?"

"But, I'm not the bad guy."

"To them you are. And now everyone thinks you're dead. You can move freely for awhile."

"Thinks I'm dead?" I was getting angry now. "You just said I was dead! How can I move freely and foil dastardly plot if I'm I'm six feet under?"

Uriel sighed and set aside the cavering and looked at my with clear blue eyes, full of well…I'd have to call it compassion. "Have you ever played tug-of-war?"

"Errr? Kinda." My mind flashed to several encounters with some big-nasties.

He grinned and nodded. "Like that," damn mind readers, "We've been holding our own, slowly giving ground. Now it's time to give them some slack, throw them off balance and then tug real hard and pull a bunch of them into the mud."

My mind worked around the idea, tossing it around like an active grenade. "I kinda get what you're saying. But there's still the problem with me being dead."

Uriel waved that off. "You're in-between. Dead but not dead. Accepting the Winter Knight opened this door to us and we're taking it."

"Thanks for consulting me about it," I snarled. "I kinda have a vested interest in this, you know."

The angel gave a helpless shrug. "You woulda been scared and not gone through with it. Relax. One of your benefactors has been keeping you safe until you healed up and it was time to let you loose."

"And that would be?"

He grinned. "That would be me, ape." A new voice spoke and a frost coalesced from the air and Mab's beautiful face manifested in the air.

I gulped. "Mab," I greeted.

She frowned severely and arched an ice-brow. "That's 'My Queen' to you dog. "

I licked my lips. I accepted her deal. She gave me what I needed and my daughter, my little Maggie, was safe. It was time for me to live up to my bargain. "My…Queen. " It felt like I was pulling a nail off to say that. Courtesy was never my thing. Everyone knew that.

Mab gave a sensuous smile. "The pet can learn new tricks. I was right. I can work with this."

I looked between the two of them and scowled. "What is this. A Conspiracy to manipulate Harry Dresden?"

Uriel and Mab traded looks. "Do you wish to live and continue your work?" Uriel responded.

Now THAT was a question. My life has been, well…pretty shitty. I've been beaten, tortured, burned, and almost beheaded. Abused, possessed, betrayed and heartbroken. I've lied and seen friends die. I've murdered a woman I loved and had to leave my daughter to be raised by someone else. In the past ten years I can't remember being honestly happy. So? Did I wish to live?

"Damn right I do. Too many people have screwed with me and I have a mountain of scores to settle."

Mab walked forward. All her curves moving fluidly, hips rolling and eyes smoldering in their coldness. Without preamble she whispered. "_Mine_…" and kissed me.

When I woke up it felt like my first breath as I gasped. The sudden intake of the air send me into a wheezing hack and I started to cough up a lung. I couldn't seem to open my eyes. I tried to move, but my legs and arms only seemed to twitch. I was suddenly so tired that I gave up and faded off too sleep.

I don't know how long I was out. I would remember waking up briefly and trying to move and open my eyes, but the efforts drained me so much that I was soon out again. I had dreams. Terrible nightmares that assaulted me unendingly. I dreamed of Murphy and Molly dead by my hands. I killed them in order to stop the Black Council. I dreamed of Billy and his gang becoming like Denton and his agents, blood thirsty and savage, raiding the University with regularity.

At times I would wake up and try to scream, but all that came out was a croak and sent me into another fit and would knock me out again. Every now and then something soft would touch me and I would feel something wet and gritty touch my cheek.

Finally, after a lifetime of slumbering, I woke up and didn't feel nearly as tired as I had been. I tried again to open my eyes and thankfully they obeyed, as did my legs and hands. I looked around and found that I was in a cellar of some sort. Wooden beams and floorboards were broken overhead and moonlight came through to give the slightest illumination to my surroundings. Even that little bit of light seemed to sting. God my eyes hurt.

I licked my lips and found them cracked and split. Blood dried from the tiny tears of my skin. Trying to speak was an effort in futility. My mouth, the greatest source of my trouble, just warbled inarticulate sounds. My tongue kept getting tangled and flopped uselessly around the bottom of my mouth.

With some of the greatest effort I'd ever summoned I sat up and saw I was lying on the floor. Dumped on a floor. How rude. Could have at least given me a blanket and a pillow.

I was so thirty, so hungry. My stomach was cramped up and seemed to tighten even more at the thought of Burger King. Water. I needed water first thing.

No sooner than I thought it than I saw that there was a plate of food and a glass of water waiting at a burned out table. A few knick-knacks were scattered about, also burnt, and I cleared them away and set into the sustenance like toot did to pizza. It only took a few bites until I was full, but the water I forced myself to finish. My legs started to shake and I laid back down on the floor and went back to sleep.

When I woke up it was day time and got the first good look at where I was. The site broke my heart. It was my lab. What was left of my home. It was charred and disused. Puddles of water and fallen, rotted timber lay around the floor. Although there was soot still, it was caked and stained into the basement walls. This place had been this way for a long time. Jesus! How long was I sleeping!

Wait. Sleeping. I was more than sleeping. What happened to me? The last thing I remember was kissing Murph's fingers and promising each other that in one hour we would finally take our relationship to the next level. After that there was only the dreams and waking up here.

On a deep level I knew something bad had happened, but the more I thought about it the more of a head-ache I developed. I decided it wasn't healthy and that answers would come my usual way. A sudden spark of insight and a leap to the answer.

I saw another plate of food and water for me and I set into it a little slower this time. Taking my time to savor the taste, which was actually very good before I realized I was eating and drinking something from someone I didn't know. Oh well it was too late now and it would have been a shame to let it go to waste so I polished it off, even licking the plate.

I was attacked without warning. The beast, came in low and took me in the chest. I gave a startled cry and tried to raise my shield, but it was too late and plus I didn't have any of my foci. It was several seconds before I saw that the monster was the largest cat in the world. Mister. It was Mister.

"Mister…" I tried to croak out, but my voice still didn't want to work and instead it came out. "Mppter. Tmph gd mur o ight." Translation. _Mister, thank god you're alright_!

I held the closest thing to family besides Maggie and stroked him. For once he was affectionate and seemed to return my love. I sent good thoughts to him until he felt the formality of reunion was observed then he imperiously jumped away and went out into his mighty jungle. That's my cat.

I shielded my eyes from the banefully sun and climbed up a fallen plank and stepped outside. As soon as I did I regretted it. Clearly something in my lab was protecting me from the effects. A miasma of black magic was in the air so thick that I almost gagged. I dropped to my knees and held my stomach as it churned. I looked around quickly to see if I was under attack, but there was no one. A car or two drove by, but that was it.

Braving the possibility I opened my third sight and just stared in astonishment. Black veins ran through the sky in chaotic webs far into the horizon. I walked around the corner and started at the Chicago skyline. They went as far as I could see. They seemed to pulse with a mockery of life like things were traveling through them. I quickly turned my sight off and rubbed my aching eyes. I was so weak. What the hell had happened to my city. How long was I sleeping. Who looked after me. What happened to me?

"Those things you must find out for yourself, child."

I turned and saw my godmother standing behind me. Her smile was indulgent and surprisingly happy as she looked on me.

"Godmother," I replied warily. My godmother was a big bad fairy from the Winter Court. Second only to Mab and most likely on par with Maeve herself. She had a twisted view of helping me, a promise to my mother made long ago. That usually involved her wanting to transform me into something to keep by herside.

She inclined her head at the greeting. "It's…pleasant to see you walking again."

"What happened here? To me?"

She thought about it for a moment. "I am forbidden from telling you. Unless you wish to trade for that information. Right now though, you don't have much to bargain with."

I scowled, but should have known better. "You or Mab had something to do with it. Too much a coincidence you being here right now and all."

The brief fluttering smile was all the confirmation I needed. I was angry. Very angry. "I can tell you one thing. It was not anyone in the Winter Court who perpetrated the deed. We only allowed it to happen and kept you safe for a little bit.

"How long is a little bit?" I said snidely. Fairy time was different t than mortal time.

"I'm not sure how humans go about counting such a passage. It was several month to us."

Months…holy shit. I had to find a newspaper fast. "And the city? What's happened to it?"

Lea touched the side of her nose and gave a wicked feline grin. "Search for the answers. You were once good at that. For now here is a small amount of paper mortals use to make trade. You call it money. Use it to get, how do you say it? Back on your feet again."

She offered me a wad of cash and I shook my head. "Thank you, but I can't accept that."

She threw back her head and laughed. It was a purr full of amusement. "Child this isn't a gift. Consider it payment up front for the services you will soon perform. A tool needed for the job."

Well if that was the case…I snatched the money and could already imagine one of the paper crowns and a rubber band around my head and the flame grilled taste of Burger King and salted fries. I looked up to ask her one more question but she was already gone.

"I really need to learn how to do that," I muttered and gained my bearings. First things first I needed a newspaper and then some salty fries. Then I could come up with a plan to find out just what the hell was going on.

I walked to a bus stop. I had to stop several times to rest. Took at least thirty minutes to go three blocks. There I found a newspaper stand and did a simple hex to throw it open. I didn't have change after all.

The Chicago Tribune, ratty paper as it was, left me standing and shaking as the sun overclouded and the light drizzle of rain soon left me wet. The date kept dancing in my mind. I couldn't believe it.

Two years. I've been gone for two years.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Two years. I still couldn't believe it. A lot could happen in two years. My friends probably thought me dead. Boy would they be in for a surprise. The White Council, the Grey, The Black, I wonder what they were all up to. What happened after the destruction of the Red Court? A million and one questions that would probably lead to more.

The cab was hot and smelled strongly of sweat, booze and curry. The driver was taking hair raising turns and whipping through traffic like a mad man. I wondered how come I never saw a cab pulled over before. Lucky shits. If I drove like that the police would be all over me.

The driver turned down Karin's street and finally slowed down and rolled to a gentle stop outside her house. I paid the man to gladly get rid of his insanity and watched him drive away. Funny, leaving a fare he drove much better than he had delivering one. Cab drivers – A separate species from humanity.

I drew a breath and stomped up her porch and rang her doorbell. I couldn't wait to see the look on her face. It was hot outside. Unreasonably hot for early November. It must have been mid 90s. I rang the doorbell again and gave a loud knock. There was no answer so I peeked in through a window.

What the hell? I could see the furniture, but it was all covered. Heavy white sheets draped everything and the walls with pictures and such were bare. She…didn't live here anymore. Impossible. This was her grandmother's house. The only way to get her out of here would be to burn her out…which meant…No. I wouldn't think that. Murph was the toughest person I knew. She bullied a big goat-man ten times her weight before. She knew enough not to be taken out. Unless some junkie-Stop Harry. No point in thinking up scary stories. Easy enough to find out.

Well. My cab was gone, but there was a gas station on the other corner so I broke a bill and used a pay phone to call the station. The dispatcher must have been new, but she gave me one scary bit of information. She had never heard of Karin Murphy. I asked her about the SI department and she told me that it had been disbanded a little over a year ago and most of the officers in it were let go.

I hung up with a heavy heart and felt like throwing up. SI was gone, Karin was gone and directory had no listing for her. I then decided to do something monumentally daring.

Breaking into Karin's place took a bit of skill and a lot of force. She was a bit paranoid about security, especially with me in her life, so her doors and locks were top of the line. Still. I was a wizard and a wizard with Winter's power to boot. I huffed and I puffed and I blew the door in. The twisted and warped frame hung ajar in the back as I walked in. When I did I knew she had been gone for a long time. There was no threshold. Nothing sapped my power away or held me in check.

Every step was like a nail through my foot. A walking crucifixion. I went up stairs and checked her room, her bath. Every personal space I could find for a hair, a bit of clothing. Nothing. She had cleaned up after herself nicely. Good-girl. She learned her lessens well. Unfortunately it meant I couldn't use a tracking spell to locate her. But atleast it was a sign that she left on her own and wasn't forced out. Only someone who knew magic would have cleaned up after themselves so thoroughly. It also meant that she was running from bad mojo magic if she went to these lengths. She hadn't just moved. She was in hiding. Great.

I called for another cab and while I waited I thought about my options. Next stop would have to be Molly's. Then to Billy and Georgia's. I needed to reconnect and quickly. At the moment I was homeless beggar in ragged clothes with enough for maybe a week at a hotel. I had no foci and no idea what was happening out there.

The cab arrived and I directed it to the Carpenters. This driver was every bit as crazy as the last. I finally asked him to slow down a bit and he looked at me like I was mad.

"You crazy, man? Only a man with a death wish drives slow these days. Get to where you need to be fast and less a chance of getting shot." Then he went back to his suicidal driving.

I let that sink in. The neighbor hoods we were in weren't bad. Why was there a danger of getting shot at. Yeah I really needed to get the 411 on the city. If things were going downhill those black veins of energy had to have something to do with it.

I just wished I could get a good weeks rest. Time might have passed for others, but to me I just went through an epic battle, almost had my daughter sacrificed, murdered my lover, got shot, then woke up from a two year long coma. I needed a vacation.

I sat up. Got shot? Where had that come from? They say sometimes memories come back to you when you aren't trying for them. I remembered the boat. Slipping and seeing red on the white paint, but after that it was all black. Not proof that I was shot, but why would I have come up with the thought if it had been a paintball?

Ok that was one mystery solved, but I was right. One answer led to several questions. Who shot me? What did they hope to gain? How did they know I was on the boat? One person came to mind immediately. Jhonny Marcone. I'd follow that later on, but for now it was time to see how my little grasshopper had fared.

The cab driver rolled to a stop in front of a guard house. Two armed guards came around and signaled for me to roll down the window. What the hell was this? When I complied a short cut blond kid who looked like he could be more than a month into puberty leaned down.

"Gate pass?"

"Uhhh, This is Baskin Ridge right?"

"Yes sir, it is. Gate pass?"

"I don't have one." I replied, totally confused right now. Could things have changed really this much?

"Then I can't let you in unless a resident vouches for you."

"Oh! They can do that. The Carpenters. Michael and Charity," and I gave them the address. He looked me over doubtfully. I must of looked like a junkie trying to score or pull a fast one. He checked his board, careful to keep his gun away from my reach and one eye on me. Must have been ex-force.

"I'm sorry sir, the only family I have listed for that address is the Wan's."

The Who? "Errr," I smartly replied, "That's not them. Maybe I got the address wrong, can you check to see if they still live in the community. It's been awhile. Last time I was here the place wasn't gated and guarded."

"Well they should have warned you of this then."

"It's a surprise visit."

He narrowed his eyes, "Obviously." Well now, this kid had a smart mouth. But, maybe…

"Hey. You ex-force?" I asked him. He nodded while looking through the roster. "You might remember her then. Karin Murphy. Used to roll with the old SI department?"

The kids face snapped up quicker than one of Karin's kicks. "I was assigned to SI before they let me go. Yeah I remember old ball buster. How do you know about them?"

Cha-Ching! A lead. God I'm good. "Ball buster?"

The kid laughed and relaxed a bit. Talking of old times usually did that. "Yeah, during spars she made sure all the guys would guard their package, ya know? Always said it was the easiest way to take a guy down."

I laughed with him. Yeah that sounded a lot like Murph. I reached out a hand. "Harry Dresden. I used to consult with SI on some of the cases."

He squinted at me doubtfully. "Yeah…I think I remember you. The guy who used to claim he was a wizard. Word out before they shut us down is that you were dead. Your girl had the department turn over the city looking for you. It was one of the reasons SI went down. We had a 10% close rate after you vanished. Shit," he shook his head, "Strange things back then. Stranger now."

I needed to know, "So do you know what happened to her? I've been out of Chicago awhile now. Seems things have changed a lot."

He laughed cynically. "You could say that. As for Sergeant Murphy don't know. After she was canned by IA she dropped out of sight. No one knew where she went. Every now and then we would hear about her. She became a PI herself and was still going after the SI cases alone. Caused the Dept. no end of trouble."

I nodded. Seemed logical from what I remember the brief time in the ships cabin. "So whats going on in the city. Things bad?"

The puberty kid's face grew solem. Not good. "Real bad. Nation Guard's been here for about a year. A lot of occult gangs started to pop up. Fire fights, bombings, terrorist attacks. Weird Animal attacks, people going missing. The mayor got assassinated. You name it, it's happened. There's a curphew now. They catch you out past eight without a work pass and they throw you in lockup. Real bad. You havn't seen it on the news? New York, LA, Atlanta, Miami. It's been happening all over. They called the Army into D.C. The White house got attacked by some suicide bombers pretending to be vampires."

Holy Mother. I stared at the kid slack jawed. "I've been…away. Jesus, kid. You serious?"

He nodded. "Dead serious. Make sure your holed up someplace by eight or you'll see the inside of an army cell for a day or two. But anyways, your friends don't live here no more. This place has been gated for the last six months and no one's moved since I've been here. They're long gone, Dresden."

I sagged back into the seat and rubbed my eyes. From the frying pan and all that load. I only had a few more options. The kid leaned down and whispered to me. "Hey, Mr. Dresden. I remember hearing that you knew a lot about the creepy things we used to investigate in SI. You got an idea what's going on? Think you can help?"

I looked up at the sky and a few thoughts crossed my mind now that I had a better picture what's going on. "Yeah kid. I think I know what's happening. I just need to find a way to hook up with Murph again. She can give me the in I need to get a better picture. Hang in there."

We shook hands and I directed the cab to my next stop. The University.

I collapsed, emotionally exhausted onto the Hotel bed. I took the kids advice and found a cheap motel for the night. If people thought I was dead then so too did my enemies, only logical. No need to parade myself to whoever was turning things upside down that I was alive and vulnerable. See I can be careful when I need to. With no apartment, I felt another pang of grief, I had no wards or protections in someone wanted to come at me. I had no allies I could call in and no idea where they could be.

The University was locked down tighter than The Merlin's starfish, aren't I eloquent lately? Only students or employees were allowed on campus. Everyone else had been moved out of the area. I tried to look up Billy by his employer, but when I called they said he no longer worked for them. Again I could find no listing for anyone in the were-wolf troop in the phone-book. It seemed everyone I used to know was holed up tight and under the radar. My PI credentials were most likely revoked and the station was probably almost entirely in Marcone's pocket, so I couldn't go there and had to stay out from under their nose.

Still, Marcone must be suffering pretty bad as well. The National Guard, and they were in town with tanks, keeping a curfew had to have put a huge damper in affairs. So whatever was going on, he must be trying to fight it. So even if he was the one who ordered the hit on me, maybe I could go to him for help. It would have to be a last resort. I still had two more places I could poke my nose at. One could be tricky though. Very tricky.

I pulled open the pizza box and had a few bites before falling asleep. Things could wait until morning. I was so tired.

I woke up early to the sound of gunfire. It was maybe a block over, but I rolled out of bed and had my wrist up before I even remembered I didn't have my things. I firefight continued for a few more seconds and then silence. I sighed and set about to take a shower. One good thing about motels. The water tanks were far from the rooms, so hot water was a blessing. I must of stayed under that water for an hour, letting the heat soak into my bones. When I got a new place I was going to make sure it could handle hot water in some way. Even if I had to steal it somehow.

I looked askance at my clothes. They were dirty and wet from the rain yesterday. They smelled awful and looked worse. You'd think if I was the Winter Knight they could at least give me room and board somewhere.

I gritted my teeth and put the rags on. Better than going out naked. I took the time to throw the best wards I could on the shirt, but being so flimsy it couldn't handle much. Leather was the best, which was why I favored a duster. It was long enough to protect my legs and the leather had a sturdiness to it that enhanced the magic of protection. The wards I usually used couldn't just give protection if I wanted them to last more than a few hours. They just increased what was there exponentially. Cotton couldn't stop bullets no matter what I did.

Again I used my quickly dwindling funds for a cab and rolled out to St Mary's If anyone could get me in contact with Murphy or Molly in was Father Foothill.

I almost cried at the sight. It was burned down. The church. Just like my home. The blackened hollowed out shape of the historical building, almost a hundred years old, was a knife I almost couldn't handle. Was I really alone? You never know how nice it is to have people and friends until you can't see or speak to them. I felt naked and scared. I didn't know who was out there or how I was going to make my way.

The cabby knew the area and he said The church went up almost two years ago. No one died, but there wasn't another to replace it yet. No one knew what happened to the old priest that used to take in strays off the street. I sat staring for awhile until the cabby warned me it wasn't a good idea to just sit there so either I got out or they went someplace else. When in Rome, do as they do so I had him move on. I stopped at a clothing store first. The clerk almost told me to get out, but I held up some cash that quieted her before the words could come out and grabbed a pair of jeans a shirt and a cheap hoody. I added a pair of cheap wire sunglasses to help hide my face. Here I was going next I didn't want to be recognized.

The hoody made me sweat almost immediately. It was as hot already as the day before, but brushing my hair into its depths and the sunglasses hid me reasonably well. Pretty sure since no one would be looking for me and it had been so long that no one would recognize me. Except for one person. The hole world could change and go communist, or raving Al-Qaida, but McAnally's? That was as constant as my smart mouth. I ignored the little voice in my head that said I didn't have much of a mouth lately. It was usually wrong.

I sent the cab on and stood in the shadows across the street scoping the place out. It was still there. The one place I probably didn't want to go into, but the one place that was my last hope without announcing to the world I was back.

I saw a few people go in and out. Mostly the usual types, but I saw a man enter who looked wholly unwholesome. HaHa HeHe. I'm a riot aren't I? I stood there, under a veil for about an hour before I felt confident enough to go in.

I didn't use a glamour, that would only attract attention from any serious magic users who were there. I wasn't too good at them but it would show that I knew the craft and would be a person of interest, I just wanted to be another guy looking to be left alone.

I almost turned around right when I walked in the door, but that would have been obvious. Hendricks was just inside. He eyed me hard and good, but didn't show any recognition. If he was there, then…yup. Marcone was in a far corner, talking to Mr. Unscrupulous. The cloaked man looked rather heated, while good ol' Johnny sat there unperturbed. His face as expressionless as always. Ms. Gard wasn't to be seen, which was good. I knew she would recognize me. Immortal beings never forget a face I'm coming to believe.

I sat at the Bar and watched back work. He was fairly busy for this time of day. I saw him glance at me and hesitate a bit. He recognized, but played it cool. Good man Mac. I ever tell you that? He came over to me, his apron as always, spotless.

"Steak Sandwich and a beer." I ordered. A little confirmation never hurt. He grunted and pulled out a warm one.

"Shouldn't be here."

"No where else to go."

He grunted again. "Away."

I grunted back. "Alone."

His eyes darted around. "Everyone thinks you're dead."

I grinned tightly. "Lets me move around." I dropped the banter and got down to business. "I need to contact some people, Mac. Molly and Murph. They still around?"

He shrugged and nodded. I almost jumped for joy, but his next words sobered me up. "Hiding."

I drew in a breath. "Know where?"

He hesitated. "Neutral in this."

My eyes hardened behind my glasses. "Don't give me that Mac. My next choice is to go talk to Marcone. Someone tried to kill me awhile back. I've been sleeping or in a coma for two years. Everything and everyone I know is gone. You're the only friend I can talk to. I need help."

He actually licked his lips nervously. Mac was never nervous. Molly and Murph must be causing some serious trouble around town. Mac went and started to cook up my sandwich. When he came back he left a napkin with a word under my plate.

How the hell are they there? I thought as I paid him with money and a grateful smile. I'm surprised it let them stay. Next question was, how the hell was I supposed to get to Demonreach?


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

I ate my steak sandwich like it was my first one. Technically it had been two years and my taste buds seemed to have forgotten it. It was the best one I've had yet. I took another sip of Mac's famous brew and mulled over the current conundrum. How to reach the island. I didn't have a boat and chances were Thomas's wasn't there anymore. I couldn't ask Thomas because of Lara and I didn't know what side he was batting for anymore; so of it was there and I stole it I risked the chance of the White Court finding out where Molly and Murphy were.

Damn it, I hated not having a clue. Usually I had feelers out and had a general idea which way a door swung, and if things got bad an apartment and allies to call on. My options seemed pretty limited at the moment.

I kept an eye on Marcone and his visitor while I worked and decided to go at things from a different route. OK, Dresden. Everyone thinks you're dead. You're friends are in hiding at possibly the worst possible place. There is bad mojo in town and the National Guard has the city buttoned down. No allies, little money, no place to stay and no clue. What to do. Simple. Get a clue. And who knew more about all the little shady things that went down? Fairies.

I left Mac a tip and left McAnally's with my head ducked to avoid possible recognition. Hendricks eyed me again, but made no move or sign of recognition. I looked up and shaded my eyes from the glaring summer sun on the cusp of winter.

I stepped into the street and immediately had to jump back as a rusted old white Cadillac almost drove me down. Following behind it was an armored assault vehicle with a siren blaring out of the loud speaker. I dove behind a parked car as a man from the white rust bucket leaned out and opened fire on the National Guard. I heard some tires squealing then the loud rat-tat-tat-tat of a machine gun. There was a loud crash and I peeked out to see that the Cadillac had slammed into a lamp pole.

What the hell was this city degenerating into? I dusted myself off and quickly walked a few blocks over to a pizza shop. I couldn't afford to go grand so I settled on a small and made my way to a shaded alleyway.

I set the pizza down and closed my eyes. My breathing settled and I expanded my thoughts to the winds and whispered a name. Twice more I chanted and waited. It had been some time and he had probably forgotten me, but I doubt he did the pizza.

I felt him questing towards me and saw him peeking cautiously from around the corner. He seemed braver than before as he darted from a pile of trash to a dumpster to a potted plant that was long withered and dead. My god he had gotten big. He was almost two feet tall now.

Finally he came towards me and gave a bow. "Lord Knight!" he chirped out in his high pitch tone, "How may Toot-toot serve you?"

"Toot? You don't remember me?" I asked. I knew it was their nature, but I was a little stung.

His eyes darted up from the ground and he poked me over carefully. "No. Should I, Lord?"

I gave him a sad little smile, but reached down and opened the pizza box. Toots eyes almost bugged out of his head and I swear his wings beat so fast that I thought they were about to fly off without him.

"Za Lord? Za Lord?" Toot asked hopefully and I was surprised to see little tears brimming in his eyes. I didn't know that pixies could cry.

"It's me, Toot. I'm back."

"With Pizza?" he looked awe struck at the box.

I set it down. "It's yours."

One bite. Oh my god he took the whole pizza and stuffed it into his mouth and pushed it right into his stomach. No chewing. I blinked and found myself once again slack-jawed.

Toot swooned and made a suspicious moaning sound. The pizza was positively orgasmic for him.

"You should trying chewing, Toot. Been that long?" I barely finished the sentence before he was at my chest with the biggest smile I've ever seen on him.

"You're back! You're back! The Za lord is back! What can I do? Please command me, Lord!"

I held up a hand to slow him down while I tried to make sense of his words, he spoke them so fast. "I need help Toot. I'm in trouble."

"Trouble?" I stepped back and looked at Toot warily. Toot's eyes gleamed with a slight power and he looked angry. "Who endangers the Za Lord? Who dares?"

"Well, umm," I was on new ground here. Toot used to be childish and silly, but now he seemed…formidable. "No one, yet. I just need information. I've been away awhile and now that I'm back I need some help. I need some things too. All my friends and allies are gone and-"

"Allies! I shall gather the army!" He took off so fast and hard that the trash lid bounced up and papers scattered in the wind. I guessed I would have to be more careful around him now. He was getting to be almost as big as Mister. I really didn't need his little army but he was gone before I could say anything.

I tapped my foot as I waited. Ten minutes went by. Then twenty. How long could it take? Then again a bunch of fairies helping was better than one. I blinked as I saw something coming from the sky. This time my eyes bugged from my head as a cloud of pixies rained down into the ally. A bunch? A small army? Holy mother of god was there this many pixies in Chicago? In moment the alleyway was filled with them The walls were covered from the ground to the roof top and they arrayed themselves in neat little lines. Toot had pulled in several hundred of the little folk. Now I knew why he was so big. In the Nevernever followers gave someone power. If Toot had this many following him he was becoming something…else.

"Toot," I breathed, "You've become a king!"

"Is that better than general?" he looked doubtful.

I grinned. "Much better! You get to make others generals now."

He looked intrigued and started to stroke his chin. His lavender skin had become paler now, I noticed. Yes indeed my little Toot-toot was growing up. "I shall consider it…for pizza?" He looked at me from the corner of his eye.

"You're negotiating with me on a promotion?" I was bewildered. "Fine. More pizza."

"PIZZA!" The Za army yelled and a sudden fluttering of wings sounded like a low flying plane.

"Ok listen up. I need the Za Army for a mission. I need to know some things. A lot of things actually."

Toot gave me a sharp salute that almost took his own head off with the small sword he was holding. "Command us, Pizza The Hut!"

I stared for a minute. Seems Toot has been watching some more TV. Disturbing that he saw me as a one ton pizza. "Err, There seems to be a lot of black magic at work in the city. Plus several years ago someone shot me. I need to know who shot me and who is behind the magic. Think you can do that for me?"

After an excited bit of fuss over the mission I had the horde dispersed to the four winds and started to take a walk. Things had moved too rapidly after my apparent death to be a coincidence. Somehow I had to assume whoever had cast that web over the city had something to do with my being shot. The fact that my friends had to go underground suggested that they were targets as well.

Toot and his gang could give me the local run down, but now I needed to know how things sat abroad. My grandfather could tell me that. Funny how readily I accepted that word. In a way I was relieved. I had family; someone who looked after me and risked everything to keep me alive and safe. It was a comfort and I had to let him know I was alive and well.

I found the nearest payphone and made a call. It rang, and rang, and kept ringing. I gave up on the tenth ring and blew out a breath of frustration. He was probably holed up in Edinburg. I couldn't give them a call. If I didn't want the Black Council to know I was alive then calling there would be as good as hanging a sign around my neck.

It seemed that everywhere I turned roads were being blocked to me. If I was supposed to be dead someone was doing a good job at making things a lot harder for me. I went back to the hotel, grabbed ten large pizza's and waited for my little minions. I considered Toot's recent growth and wondered how such a tiny and innocent little creature could be turning into a force to be reckoned with. I was thankful he was so loyal to me. I learned early on that having power houses like Mab on your side could be a boon in a tight spot, but having the little folk was like having and endless purse when you're homeless, which I was.

It took a couple of hours, but Toot finally returned with news. Empty news. All Toot knew was that someone calling themselves The Teacher was running things around the city and as for who had me shot, amazingly they couldn't find out. From what I gathered The Teacher had this whole Warlock, bad guy image that was so clique as to be laughable. Black robe, face hidden, dark terrifying powers, and a bunch of minions at his disposal.

Well then. It was time to get down to business. That meant that the man Marcone was talking to was either big bad number one, or someone in his coterie. As I adverted my eyes from the disgusting feast that lasted at most ten seconds, I came up with a plan. Start at the bottom and work up. I'd join up with the gang and worm my way into a spot to take him out.

Now to get the word out that a fledgling wizard needed a place to call home.

I knew the Paranet. I helped to start it. I knew the advantages and what exactly it could do. I followed up with one of the original members I could find, hiding my identity of course, and had the word sent out. During the following days I spent the rest of my money and fashioned myself a crude blasting rod and a simple shield bracelet. It wasn't as fancy as my original one, but I had no idea where my tools were. Least of all where Bob was. I hoped he was ok and not in Mab's or someone else's clutches who'd use him for evil.

They were better than nothing however and it gave me the added benefit of someone who was just now setting out on his own. I'd gone down to a local occult shop and bought whatever cheesy resources I could. Books for beginners, ones with a little bit of real knowledge to add to the disguise. Then I waited.

The third day I could feel somebody following me; that third sense that had always been able to keep me alive. I had to play this just right. I skulked around a bit, made some two bit deals with some hedge wizards and charlatans and let them see me use a hex spell to take some money out of an ATM. Hey, I was broke, alone and desperate. I'll return the money someday. Finally to top it off I called up a hooker. They didn't know it, but I just spent some time talking to her. I was down, but I wasn't that down.

I used that money to buy some more clothes and pay my hotel bill for the next week. I hoped I looked sufficiently needy enough to give them an edge to approach me with. Criminal types usually need something to lure you in. Power, money and women. I gave them the impression that I needed all of them. Which I did actually.

Still, the bastards were remarkably cautious. By the end of the week I had to let them know that I could tell someone was following me. I ducked and dodged them a couple of times and moved my hotel location. I was surprised that they were resourceful enough to keep track of me.

It was late one night and I had already fried the TV in my new room, so I was sitting reading a book and eating my usual from BK, when I got a knock on my door. I paused between bites and closed my eyes, extended my senses. Listening is a powerful tool and I used it. I heard the rustle of clothing, some light breathing and the thudding beats of a heart that was a little too fast and off rhythm. Must have been two of them.

I set the book down, shook out my stubby little metal bracelet and tucked my blasting rob in my belt, behind my back. I peeped out the spy hole, hey I couldn't remember its name, but it fits, and saw to my amusement a couple of Dark Lords of the Sith. They had the scary dark robes as black as they could get them and their faces all hidden. There must be a bad guy hand guide out there that screenwriters and warlocks refer to when setting up their image. It needs a sequel.

I opened the door and gave them a sufficiently nasty glare. "Yeah?" I barked out.

"Are you…Malcolm?" Sith number two on the right asked. I chose my father's name. Was easy to remember.

"What's it to ya?" I puffed out my chest. I was enjoying this. Not every day I got to pretend to be a bad guy.

The two glanced at each other and it took every ounce of strength I had not to look surprised. I could feel their magic. They were employing mind magic against each other. Most likely some form of communication. These guys…weren't novices. In fact they were probably about my level of skill.

"Mr…Malcolm," Sith two spoke again, I could hear the slight disdain in his voice, "We have been aware of your activities for some time now and we've been watching." My god, these guys really must have had a hand book. I felt like I was in a movie.

"Don't know what you're talking about," see, I've seen some too.

The one on the left gave a tired sigh. There must be something about me that frustrates people. Don't know what. I thought I was a pretty personable guy. "Malcolm," whoa, it was a woman, "We understand if you were not aware, that's why we are here tonight, but to employ magic in this city you must be given license by us, or else be…evicted."

Ok now, I don't know if you've ever noticed, but I don't deal well with threats. My eyes narrowed and I let my muscles go loose. They noticed and took a sudden step back. "I don't like threats," I told them. "It's a big city. There's nothing wrong with me making my way."

I felt them exchange words again. "It's our city," The man replied, "And if you want to stay in our city you have to pay."

"Yeah? How much?" Please. He needed to stay quiet and let the woman do the talking.

The woman gave a tinkling laugh. Nice voice, "Please, Malcolm. We have no need for more money. You must pay with service. You are of course allowed to do as you wish, but in exchange we may require your services from time to time."

There we go. So predictable. "What's in it for me?" Just like they expected.

The woman shrugged. "Freedom, protection from the White Council, money if that is your wish," Her head swiveled around the shabby motel. "It looks like you could use some."

I made a scene of considering it, then stepped aside and let them in. They took the invitation and seated themselves on the bed. The woman picked up the book I was reading and then discarded it. I felt them communicate some more. This was new to me, being able to feel this.

I was irked by their continued silence. I hated mind games like this. "So." I said and leaned against the door and let the silence stretch a bit until they decided to speak.

"You're a cool one I see, Malcolm," The woman began again. "You're trying to play the dumb brute, but I can't help but think you were anticipating us."

Uh oh. Was I that transparent. Quick! Quick! Left turn! "I knew someone was watching me. Figured they'd show themselves sooner or later."

She chuckled at me. "If you say so. We still believe you were waiting for us. Two people dressed as us at your door and you let us in? Most would have jumped out the window or something."

I grew uncomfortable. She was a little too perceptive. I couldn't continue playing dumb with her. "You probably have someone out there waiting for just that. If I ran you would have just gunned me down. Or taken a hair or something of mine from here and tracked me down. I couldn't dart to the Nevernever because who knows what's on the other side, plus again I'd be leaving what little I had behind. Safe bet was to just see what you wanted."

I could feel her satisfied smile. She turned to her partner. "See. I told you he wasn't as dumb as he looked. He was baiting us in. Now the question," she turned back to me, "is why?"

I licked my lips and pondered what to say for a moment. The best lie is one ringed with truth. "I need work, money, anything really. My old home and lab were destroyed; lost everything. Heard whispers that Chicago was the place to start over without anyone looking at me too hard."

She nodded. "Sounds reasonable. We have plenty of work that needs to be done. Much of it questionable to the old way of thinking. But how skilled are you, I wonder? What can we set to task for you. How can we test you. I'm tempted to just be done with you and not take the risk You could be White Council."

I snorted. "The Council's too stuck up and snobbish to come down in the '_mud'_, as they'd see it. And the Wardens now a days have about as much training as the average apprentice. I think they have their full enough without worrying about some guy plying his trade on endless purses and entropy curses." Hey look at that, I rhymed. The silence stretched and I worried I might have given away too much.

"You…" she began, "mirror our thoughts on that subject. "I know," she clasped her hands together, "A test. We shall test you. If you pass we shall have more jobs for you. If you fail, then we know your services aren't needed."

"Sounds simple enough." Great. Just great.

"Oh dear me, it shall be anything, but simple. There exists in the city a certain young woman who is causing no end of…headaches for us. Nothing too disastrous, but she is enough on an annoyance to have garnered the attention of our superior. We have tried to find her and we can't so we shall not set you to task for that, but you seems fairly strong and brave. Your task shall be to guard one of our smaller coteries as they perform a ritual. Continue to guard them on their work. If she should strike…stop her from disrupting them and remove her as a problem."

I shifted a bit. "I'm not really the type to do wet work." This was quickly backfiring.

"You are now," her voice became shard and brooked no arguments. I swallowed a bit and gave a reluctant nod. I knew their real plan. They would be watching and use her to get rid of me and bait her at the same time. I just had all the luck it seemed.

"Where do I meet your guys and who's the woman?"

She twitched her hand and a slip of paper appeared. She could do that too? Am I the only wizard in the world that can't pull that off? I've got to learn that trick. I took the paper and made note of the address.

"And the woman?"

"A youth in her twenties. Molly Carpenter."

Uh oh.


End file.
